01.07.14 {week 76}

Dearest Family,

Wow, time is just flying by.  It feels like yesterday I was skyping you guys.  But nope, it's already been two weeks.  It's hard to believe.  It was a great week!  On New Years Day we had a nice little (and by little I mean "huge".....welcome to Italy) lunch with two of our members and the Hyde's.  It was really nice.  We talked about our New Years Resolutions.  Friday was Consiglio!  So basically we left the house at 6 in the morning to make the 3.5 hour drive up to Milano.  Then I was in consiglio all day (oh my goodness, one of the best consiglios of all time.....just so many funny, random things.  one of which is a video that i HAVE to show you guys right when I get home because it is HILARIOUS.).  Then we drove the 3.5 hour drive back down to Prato.  Let's just say I was really tired when we finally got home that night.  :)  Monday morning was exciting because we had zone training.  I've loved being able to train a little bit while I've been STL.  And then the moment came that I thought would never actually come.  At the end of the zone training I had to bear my "dying testimony".  It was rough.  I cried a little bit.  I quoted Dumbledore a little bit.  And then it was over.  And I was like, "Wow, that means I'm actually leaving soon."  It was definitely surreal.  Last night our ward had a Befana party.  I'll have to explain what that is......someday.  It was super fun but we had to leave early to head to Pisa!  So last night we drove to Pisa and spent the night there.  Then we had studies together this morning, headed to the LEANING TOWER OF PISA.  Oh my goodness, I'm obssessed.  And then we came up here to La Spezia to see Porto Venere.  It was probably one of my favorite P-days to date.  It's about time for us to run to catch a train and then I'll start a scambio with Sorella Griffin here in Pisa.  It will be great!  Anyway, there won't be anything super exciting happening this week, but that's okay.  To be honest, this city has been pretty hard for me.  We're working on finding new people to teach.  Anyway, I hope you're all doing well and that you had a lovely New Years!  We set our alarm for 11:55 in order to be awake for the festivities.  There was this lady on the balcony below us setting off HUGE fireworks.  We kind of thought we were going to die.  Don't worry, I have a video of it.  Anyway, I have to run but I love you all a lot!  Have a great week!  AMORE.

Sorella Gunnerson

Mission Consiglio

Sister Training Leaders

The sisters of the Firenze Zone

Everyone in my MTC group that is now STL/ZL (plus one - Sorella Bringas who will go home the same time we do.)

LOOK WHERE I WENT THIS MORNING.

Me and Sorella Gregg

Pretty self-explanatory

On our way to see Porto Venere

Porto Venere

Porto Venere